{"id":161716,"date":"2025-04-16T07:15:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-16T05:15:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/?p=161716"},"modified":"2025-04-10T13:17:31","modified_gmt":"2025-04-10T11:17:31","slug":"biodegradable-nails-make-manicures-more-sustainable","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/biodegradable-nails-make-manicures-more-sustainable\/","title":{"rendered":"Biodegradable nails make manicures more sustainable"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-large is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"383\" src=\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/04\/Bildschirmfoto-2025-04-10-um-10.06.50-1024x383.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-161732\" style=\"aspect-ratio:2.6736292428198434;width:765px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/04\/Bildschirmfoto-2025-04-10-um-10.06.50-1024x383.png 1024w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/04\/Bildschirmfoto-2025-04-10-um-10.06.50-300x112.png 300w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/04\/Bildschirmfoto-2025-04-10-um-10.06.50-150x56.png 150w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/04\/Bildschirmfoto-2025-04-10-um-10.06.50-768x287.png 768w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/04\/Bildschirmfoto-2025-04-10-um-10.06.50-400x150.png 400w, https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/media\/2025\/04\/Bildschirmfoto-2025-04-10-um-10.06.50.png 1296w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bio-e-Nails, a more sustainable kind of press-on nails, come in all shapes and colors. \u00a9 Living Matter Lab<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Sit down, relax and get your nails done at the sustainability salon.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>In a new study, a team of researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.colorado.edu\/atlas\/\">ATLAS Institute<\/a>\u00a0has designed a new kind of press-on nails that are biodegradable, colorful and endlessly customizable.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<div class=\"BorlabsCookie _brlbs-cb-youtube\"><div class=\"_brlbs-content-blocker\"> <div class=\"_brlbs-embed _brlbs-video-youtube\"> <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"_brlbs-thumbnail\" src=\"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-content\/plugins\/borlabs-cookie\/assets\/images\/cb-no-thumbnail.png\" alt=\"YouTube\"> <div class=\"_brlbs-caption\"> <p>By loading the video, you agree to YouTube&#8217;s privacy policy.<br><a href=\"https:\/\/policies.google.com\/privacy?hl=en&amp;gl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Learn more<\/a><\/p> <p><a class=\"_brlbs-btn _brlbs-icon-play-white\" href=\"#\" data-borlabs-cookie-unblock role=\"button\">Load video<\/a><\/p> <p><label><input type=\"checkbox\" name=\"unblockAll\" value=\"1\" checked> <small>Always unblock YouTube<\/small><\/label><\/p> <\/div> <\/div> <\/div><div class=\"borlabs-hide\" data-borlabs-cookie-type=\"content-blocker\" data-borlabs-cookie-id=\"youtube\"><script type=\"text\/template\">PGlmcmFtZSB0aXRsZT0iUmVpbnZlbnRpbmcgdGhlIG1hbmljdXJlIHdpdGggYSBzdXN0YWluYWJsZSB0d2lzdCIgd2lkdGg9IjUwMCIgaGVpZ2h0PSIyODEiIHNyYz0iaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cueW91dHViZS1ub2Nvb2tpZS5jb20vZW1iZWQvU0pHTEM2T29mbVk\/ZmVhdHVyZT1vZW1iZWQiIGZyYW1lYm9yZGVyPSIwIiBhbGxvdz0iYWNjZWxlcm9tZXRlcjsgYXV0b3BsYXk7IGNsaXBib2FyZC13cml0ZTsgZW5jcnlwdGVkLW1lZGlhOyBneXJvc2NvcGU7IHBpY3R1cmUtaW4tcGljdHVyZTsgd2ViLXNoYXJlIiByZWZlcnJlcnBvbGljeT0ic3RyaWN0LW9yaWdpbi13aGVuLWNyb3NzLW9yaWdpbiIgYWxsb3dmdWxsc2NyZWVuPjwvaWZyYW1lPg==<\/script><\/div><\/div>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The group\u2019s designs, called&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.eldylazaro.com\/?portfolio=bio-e-nails\">Bio-e-Nails<\/a>, use common ingredients obtained from algae or the hard exteriors of shellfish and other animals. They come in all shapes and sizes: Do you like long and sparkly nails? You can make them yourself in your own kitchen. What about shorter, bright pink nails with built-in computer chips? They\u2019re possible, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And, when you\u2019re done with your latest look, you can melt down the nails and make a new set &#8211; or whatever else you can imagine, said co-creator <a href=\"https:\/\/www.colorado.edu\/atlas\/eldy-lazaro\">Eldy L\u00e1zaro V\u00e1squez<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWith Bio-e-Nails, there can be a second life, a third life, a fourth life,\u201d said <strong>L\u00e1zaro V\u00e1squez<\/strong>, a doctoral student at <strong>ATLAS and lead author of the new research.<\/strong> \u201cThe material can be remelted and reshaped into new objects. You can make a new nail, for sure, but also a coaster for your coffee cup.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>She and her colleagues&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/dl.acm.org\/doi\/10.1145\/3689050.3704426\">unveiled their Bio-e-Nails in March<\/a>&nbsp;at the 2025 Tangible, Embedded and Embodied Interaction (TEI) conference in France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The team\u2019s instructions for making Bio-e-Nails are available for free online. They\u2019re also easy enough that anyone can follow them using craft supplies and ingredients for sale at many grocery stores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Mirela Alistar, the study\u2019s senior author, explained that creating sustainable fashion doesn\u2019t mean sacrificing functionality or beauty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cSustainability goes beyond merely replacing plastic with a substitute material,\u201d said <strong>Alistar,<\/strong> assistant professor at <strong>ATLAS and the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.colorado.edu\/cs\">Department of Computer Science<\/a><\/strong>. \u201cBoth the designer and the user also need to change their mindset. That type of change, which considers the entire lifecycle of the wearable, is what we are tackling through our research in the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.colorado.edu\/atlas\/living-matter-lab\">Living Matter Lab<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.colorado.edu\/today\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large_image_style\/public\/2025-03\/Nails_crystal.JPG?itok=F8wEazQm\" alt=\"Adding crystals to Bio-e-Nails. \" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.86799501867995;width:797px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Adding crystals to Bio-e-Nails. \u00a9 Living Matter Lab<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">A few simple steps<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>L\u00e1zaro V\u00e1squez noted that, for many people, going to the nail salon is an important ritual, and a very visible way to express themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201c[Nails] can be a reflection of your personality,\u201d L\u00e1zaro V\u00e1squez said. \u201cThey represent something that comes from you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.colorado.edu\/today\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large_image_style\/public\/2025-03\/Eldy_photo.jpg?itok=BqcWdkHz\" alt=\"Eldy L\u00e1zaro Vasquez displays Bio-e-Nails during a recent conference in France\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.4005602240896358;width:668px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eldy L\u00e1zaro Vasquez displays Bio-e-Nails during a recent conference in France. \u00a9 Living Matter Lab<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>But treating yourself can also come with a downside. Many of the chemicals that nails salons employ can generate air pollutants that pose risks to health of customers and workers. They include methyl methacrylate, which helps acrylic nails bond to your real ones.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.grandviewresearch.com\/industry-analysis\/press-on-nails-market-report\">According to one estimate<\/a>, the global press-on nails industry is worth nearly $700 million and growing rapidly, which means a lot of plastic waste going into landfills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re not used to thinking of nails as a waste material because they&#8217;re so small, but they add up,\u201d <strong>Alistar<\/strong> said.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>Bio-e-Nails represent a new way of thinking about that process. Julia Tung, an undergraduate student who took a course on biodesign taught by Alistar in 2023, developed a set of bioplastic nails as a class project. Following Tung\u2019s initial explorations, L\u00e1zaro V\u00e1squez and her fellow graduate students Sepideh Mohammadi, Latifa Al Naimi and Shira David developed new biomaterial formulations and fabrication methods for their nails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To make Bio-e-Nails, designers begin with one of two powder ingredients: Agar (which comes from algae and is often used as a vegan substitute for gelatin) or chitosan (which comes from seashells and other animal products and is a common health supplement). &nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re using chitosan, you first mix that ingredient with vinegar and water, then warm and cool the slurry in a water bath. Next, pour it into a clay mold shaped like your favorite press-on nails. After 48 hours, you\u2019re ready to peel off the thin film and trim away the excess material. (The directions for making agar nails are a little different but just as simple).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Voil\u00e1 &#8211; it\u2019s time to show off those new nails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make it your own<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>L\u00e1zaro V\u00e1squez added that Bio-e-Nails are customizable for any aesthetic and can also be interactive.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright is-resized\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.colorado.edu\/today\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/large_image_style\/public\/2025-03\/Nails_wine.jpg?itok=unuc1erj\" alt=\"Bio-e-Nails are designed for short-term use, making them ideal for a night out\" style=\"aspect-ratio:0.75;width:263px;height:auto\"\/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Bio-e-Nails are designed for short-term use, making them ideal for a night out. <br>\u00a9 Living Matter Lab<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n<p>You can, for example, add food coloring to create nails in bright orange, green, blue or any other color. You might also introduce sparkles or crystals for a bit of extra glam, even making nails that look like a starry night sky. The researchers experimented with incorporating tiny computer chips into Bio-e-Nails. You can then program your smartphone to trigger certain commands when you tap it with your nail &#8211; such as displaying the number for your emergency contact or pulling up directions home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bio-e-Nails are designed for short-term use, L\u00e1zaro V\u00e1squez said, making them ideal for occasions like a night out. The research team proposed three ways to extend the life cycle of the materials, with composting as the last resort. A better option is to reuse those materials for your next look.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>\u201cComposting should be the last alternative. We want to keep the materials in use as long as we can,\u201d <strong>L\u00e1zaro V\u00e1squez<\/strong> said. \u201cIn biodesign, it\u2019s not just about replacing traditional materials with biodegradable ones &#8211; it\u2019s about rethinking the entire design process, considering the life cycle of the material and eventual products, and how they can stay in circulation and be transformed before they ever return to nature.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:12px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Sit down, relax and get your nails done at the sustainability salon. In a new study, a team of researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder\u2019s\u00a0ATLAS Institute\u00a0has designed a new kind of press-on nails that are biodegradable, colorful and endlessly customizable. The group\u2019s designs, called&nbsp;Bio-e-Nails, use common ingredients obtained from algae or the hard exteriors [&#8230;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":161733,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","nova_meta_subtitle":"Do you like long and sparkly nails? You can make them yourself in your own kitchen and afterwards you can melt down the nails and make a new set","footnotes":""},"categories":[5572],"tags":[7190,11270,26125,5838,13442,5847,26124,10416],"supplier":[26123,26130,26122,5374],"class_list":["post-161716","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bio-based","tag-algae","tag-biodegradability","tag-biodesign","tag-bioeconomy","tag-biomaterial","tag-bioplastics","tag-chitosn","tag-circulareconomy","supplier-atlas-institute-university-of-colorado-boulder","supplier-eldy-lazaro-vasquez-atlas-institute","supplier-living-matter-lab-stanford-university","supplier-university-of-colorado-boulder"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161716","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/59"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=161716"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/161716\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/161733"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=161716"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=161716"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=161716"},{"taxonomy":"supplier","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/renewable-carbon.eu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/supplier?post=161716"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}